Fate
by Nevyn
Summary: Vegeta takes certain steps to insure that he can have a "normal" life after he decides to leave Earth. Unfortunately, there are those that want him, and the only other person that can save him is dead. Warning: yaoi/violence/torture/depression/mpreg
1. Chapter 1 Part A

Fate  
  
Chapter 1 Part A  
  
'What am I doing here again?' a figure in black spandex asked the wind around him as he trekked across a barren landscape, an arm over his stomach. 'Ah yes. I came to this barren dust ball so I could get away from having to see Goten every time that hellcat brought him over.' He quickly looked at the sky and back down again, seeing that he had a long time left until sunset.  
  
'Hmpf. I'm Vegeta no Ouji. I shouldn't have to leave a planet to gain peace and quiet; nor should I have to constantly avoid the face that looks too much like that baka!'  
  
Off to the side, Vegeta finally caught sight of a small trickling stream. He made his way over to the streambed under the sweltering sun, keeping an eye out for anything that might be dangerous to him and his still very fragile property. As soon as he got to the stream he carefully leaned over the side and looked in distaste at the water. It was nothing more than a trickle and he doubted it was very healthy to drink, especially now...  
  
'I don't remember the stream being this small. But then I hardly ever left the palace and I was much smaller then. Or is this the dry season?'  
  
As soon as he had gotten a sip of water, he stood once again and shouldered the dark pack that he had discarded on the ground and started to move forward once more, keeping his arm across his stomach and his tail wrapped around his waist.  
  
'Blasted ship and blasted onna too! I can't believe that the ship crashed out here. Now how am I going to fix it? Sure, I did want to see this planet again, but the ship didn't have to crash in the middle of the desert! If I ever go back to see Earth again, I am going to give that onna a piece of my mind about how she needs to improve the controls on her ships. Not to mention the steering. It's a good thing there's nothing broken, or she'd never hear the end of it. Maybe if enough of the stupid ningens die because of her faulty equipment, she'll take better care.'  
  
He looked about the red land again and thought of the recent events that had led to his landing there.  
  
***  
  
~ Eight Months Earlier ~  
  
"Vegeta! Come here, I need you do something for me!"  
  
From the gravity room, Vegeta heard the screeching coming from the interior of the house. He winced and fell over, crashing to the ground, where a moment ago, he had been doing one-handed handstand push-ups under 550g's.  
  
'Bakayaro!'  
  
Vegeta pushed himself up off the ground and winched again as he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. 'Blasted baka!' he thought briefly of a certain dead someone, as he made his way over to the controls in the middle of the room. As soon as he turned them off, he picked up the white towel that he had brought with him and wrapped it around his neck as soon as he had quickly toweled off. With a scowl he set off toward the main building.  
  
Once inside the living area of the Capsule Corp. building, he headed to the den where he knew the blue haired onna would be waiting for him to fall into her trap. He put on a scowl as he finally entered the room and looked over at her. "What do you want?" he asked harshly, aggravated that she had interrupted his training once again.  
  
Bulma looked up as he entered and had to suppress a grin. Vegeta looked so good as he stood in the doorway, all sweaty from his workout, his muscles hard under his spandex outfit. She suddenly found her breath coming faster as she wished, not for the first time, that she could feel those muscles under her hands once more. Feel him as he-  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
She was jerked out of her thoughts by that harsh voice and gratefully started to breath easily once more.  
  
"I want you to go to the store for me. I need you to pick up all the things on this list," she replied, walking over to him and holding out a list.  
  
Vegeta glared at the list and then he glared at her, before growling, "Why should I?"  
  
Bulma was hardly intimidated as she matched his glare with hers, "Because I told you to, that's why. Not to mention that if you don't go, you'll never eat here again and you will have to go and find you own food each day. How does that sound?"  
  
Vegeta grunted, "Hn. So? I can hunt just fine and I can take care of myself and cook too. I don't need you." He started to turn and go back to what he was doing, when Bulma stopped him again.  
  
"Fine, all I wanted was for you to get some things for Chichi's baby shower in a few days, and to pick up some food but you won't do it. Should've known you'd chicken out."  
  
"I did not chicken out!" Vegeta roared, as he spun around and glared death at her once more, "I just don't want to go!"  
  
"Very well. But if you don't go, I'll deactivate the gravity room."  
  
Vegeta glared, "I won't let you."  
  
Bulma laughed harshly, "It doesn't matter Vegeta. As long as I'm in control of the master control, there is nothing that you can do to stop me from doing it." There was no master control, she knew, but Vegeta didn't know that.  
  
Vegeta steamed, "Fine, I'll go on your stupid errand!"  
  
Bulma smiled sweetly at him, "I knew you would see things my way." She shoved the list and a company credit card into his hand, and turned towards the kitchen, "Get cleaned up and go. I expect you to return in about two hours with everything. You'll find a capsule car in its usual place. And don't buy anything extra that is not on the list."  
  
Vegeta growled, "Fine." He turned and headed up the stairs, going into the room that had been given to him. With a sigh, he put the card and the list on the top of the dresser as he pulled some clothes out of the closet - clothes that would be suitable to wear in public without attracting more attention to him than was necessary.  
  
After he had taken a shower he dried himself with a flash of his ki, pulled on the clothes that he had selected, and looked at himself in the bedroom mirror. He was wearing beige khakis, light brown loafers, and a short- sleeved red plaid shirt. The outfit tried its best to make him inconspicuous, but it wasn't doing a good job of it and he knew that he was going to receive a lot of looks from both sexes. He smirked, 'Of course, if I received looks from.' He stopped the train of thought before it could go any further. There was no need to think about things that would never be.  
  
He ran his fingers through the tall spiky locks above his head and then went over to the list and picked it up, examining the contents. His scowl deepened even more as he beheld how long the monstrous thing was. 'Blast that onna! There is no way that I am going to finish all of this! Especially if I have to go to two different places to pick the crap up.' He glanced at the two maps on the back of the list and finally stuffed it into his back pocket along with the card. As soon as he had gotten a capsule, containing a modest white car, as well as a couple of empty ones, he set off to the first place on the list - the dreaded grocery store.  
  
***  
  
An hour and a half later, Vegeta found himself waiting in line to pay for all of the things that he had needed to pick up at the place. He eventually finished paying for all the food from the grocery store and packed everything into an empty capsule; then he drove over to the mall to buy the rest of the things that he needed to get. Presently, he was in the toy store with a lot of "presents" for Chichi. Bulma had gone all out when making the list, knowing that Chichi probably would never get the newborn baby toys, unless they were books. 'Although, these toys are a little too old for a week old baby.'  
  
"How are you doing today, sir?" asked the girl behind the counter as she reached into the basket and pulled out a figure of Mr. Satan.  
  
Vegeta looked at her calmly and answered politely, "I am good, and how are you?"  
  
The girl smiled and scanned the code on the doll, before reaching in and pulling out a puzzle. "I am fine, thank you. And how is your day going?"  
  
Vegeta frowned and cursed himself for being nice to the girl. Now she was going to continue the conversation until he could go with all the brat's toys. Not to mention the fact that the only reason he was being nice was because of his present condition and he was being nice involuntarily at the moment. "My day is slow and I was forced into shopping," he responded with a scowl.  
  
"Oh well, I'm sure it can't be that bad." She reached in and picked up a strategy game, briefly looking at it before registering the item.  
  
"Hn. You have no idea," he paused, considering about forgetting his manners, but then decided to ask the question that was expected of him, "How is your day?"  
  
The young lady beamed at him as she scanned a virtual pet and put it in the small pile with the other toys. "I am having a wonderful day. I really have nothing to complain about."  
  
Vegeta nodded and watched as she scanned the last toy, an action figure of Cell. 'Now the brat can use Cell to kill Mr. Satan,' he thought with a wry smirk.  
  
"So, who are you shopping for?" the girl asked as she began to bag the toys.  
  
"I am getting this stuff for a lady's baby shower," replied Vegeta impatiently, wanting to get out of there.  
  
"Well that's good. Although, don't you think that the kid may be too young for these? However, when he is older, I am sure that he will like the toys. Now he can play with Cell and have Mr. Satan beat him up."  
  
Vegeta huffed as she handed two bags to him that proudly sported the brand name of Kaiser's Toys, in blue, on the side. "Mr. Satan is a fraud and never killed Cell."  
  
The girl raised an eyebrow, amused, and asked, "Oh? And I suppose that you know who did?"  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. I was there. I saw the whole thing. The yellow-haired kid did." With that he stormed out of the store.  
  
The girl watched after him and nodded, 'I suppose that makes sense. I never did think that Mr. Satan was strong enough to kill that guy.' The girl smiled slightly as she turned her attention to the next person in line, intending to get to the bottom of it all and discover the real story of what happened that day after the cameras went out.  
  
***  
  
  
  
Bulma sighed as she heard the back door close - sighing because Vegeta had finished changing out of his handsome outfit and had gone back out to the gravity room again to continue his training. 'That man! All he cares about is that stupid gravity room and his training. What about me? Don't I count? If not me, than what about his son?' She sighed again sadly, as she made herself realize for the millionth time that what had happened between them was never supposed to. That it had just been a spur of the moment thing. She had felt cheated at the time, but then she had realized that that had been a very unreal night.  
  
**  
  
What had happened had been great; she wished that it could've gone on all night, instead of just three times (o). Unfortunately, she had gotten tired and had refused his offer of another go. He had nodded and told her that he would be back later, and then he had flown out the window.  
  
The next day, he had arrived back early in the morning, his clothes torn and looking exhausted. When she had gone to hug him, he had looked at her tiredly and had just walked past going to his room. That hurt her feelings, and so did the continued rejections following that day. When she finally accepted the fact that he had never loved her and it had all been a mistake, she started to realize that there was something weird going on with Vegeta.  
  
First off, she finally realized that he didn't fly around anymore. That had been weird, but the next thing was even stranger. During the fight with Cell, about a year later, he used hardly any ki. When he used ki to fight the androids, he tired more quickly than normal, and he only flew when he absolutely had to.  
  
**  
  
Bulma frowned as she continued to reflect on everything, even as she pulled party streamers out of one of the capsules Vegeta had put all of the shopping into and started to put them up on the ceiling.  
  
**  
  
In fact all year leading up until that day, Vegeta hadn't used his ki to blast as many things apart as he used to.  
  
She remembered her father saying to her, "Vegeta isn't blowing apart as many of my bots anymore. I'm glad, for now it gives me and Scratches more time to invent stronger bots for him to fight with." Scratches mewed, as Mr. Briefs gestured to all the new bots that he was working on.  
  
Two days after Mirai Trunks left and Goku said that he didn't want to be brought back to life; there came the day when not a single robot was blown to pieces. Her father was overjoyed when this went on for several days, but she was confused about what was happening.  
  
She had finally decided to talk to Chichi about it, going over to her house the next day. "Chichi, whenever you come over, do you notice anything unusual about Vegeta?"  
  
Chichi frowned, "Umm."  
  
"I'm sure there has to be something. You come over everyday; can you think of anything at all? What about a year before the Cell games? Anything strange happen?"  
  
Chichi's face darkened, "Nothing overly out of the ordinary. Other than Goku leaving to train and coming back later and later each night while forgetting that he sleeps in our room and not on the couch in the living room if he does come back before dawn. In all that time, he only slept with me once, about a week before the Cell games. Not to mention the conversation that he had with Gohan."  
  
Bulma looked at her more closely and asked, "What conversation?"  
  
Chichi clenched her fists in anger, "Oh, about four days before the Cell games, Gohan tells me that Goku had told him that he knows all about the feelings that Gohan has for Piccolo and that it was okay to feel that way. I asked Gohan if what he just said was true, about his feelings for Piccolo. Gohan said, 'Yes.'"  
  
Chichi paused for a moment to catch her breath and to calm herself before continuing. "He told me that he didn't know how dad found out, but that he thought that Piccolo and him would make a cute couple. He then had the gall to ask me if it was okay with me. I blew up and told him, 'NO! It is not all right with me! I don't know what Goku is thinking! You are not allowed to ever see Piccolo again, and I never want you to speak his name again! Piccolo is a lot older than you are and I want to have grandchildren when I'm older!'  
  
"Gohan became very angry and actually yelled back at me, 'Piccolo is only four years older than me and I love him! There is nothing that you can do to change that! If dad says its okay, then it's okay! I'm going to leave and live somewhere else until you change your bigotry opinion and accept me for who I am!'  
  
"He then did just that, and I haven't seen him since, except on the television."  
  
**  
  
'I was so shocked by what she told me,' Bulma thought as she started to blow up some balloons with helium, knotting them and putting them on strings to tie onto the back of the chairs. Bulma frowned as she settled once more into her thoughts of the past year.  
  
**  
  
Chichi suddenly got up and looked out the window at the sky, "And then there is what Goku did..."  
  
Bulma looked surprised, "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Chichi turned around and returned to her chair, sitting sadly back down in it. "What I mean is what happened when I confronted Goku about it. 'Goku, how come you told Gohan that it was okay if he liked Piccolo? How could you do that?' 'Chichi, why is it not okay? If Gohan is happy, then why the hell not?' 'Because Goku,' I had responded patiently, 'Gohan is a boy, he's only ten years old.' 'Actually, he spent time in the Chamber of Time and Space, so he's eleven.' 'Whatever! He is still a little boy and he is too young to get involved with people that are twice his age and of the same sex!' 'Actually, Piccolo is only four years older than him.' 'Goku! He is still a little boy! He needs to focus on schoolwork to get into a good school and to get a scholarship to a good collage. Not to mention the fact that he need to marry a nice girl!' 'Why? If he's hap.' 'He's not going to be happy! He'll be happier with a girl! Someone that can give him children! Now, answer the question. Why did you tell our son that it was okay to like Piccolo?'"  
  
Chichi paused for a moment to take a sip of her tea that she had been drinking and was now slowly turning cold as it sat there unattended.  
  
During the pause, Bulma took the moment to make a comment, "Chichi, you have a very good memory, and you imitate voices very well. How did you get so good?"  
  
Chichi looked up, "Thank you. I suppose that I do their voices so well because I've lived with them for so long and I've always had a good memory - remembering things that make me angry or that might be important in the future." She took another sip of tea, "Anyway, where was I.?" She paused for a moment, staring into her cup, and then looked up and continued as if she had never stooped. "As soon as I asked the question again Goku's eyes hardened, 'I just wanted our son to be happy unlike his parents.' 'What do you mean Goku? We are happy.' 'No we aren't and if you can't see that, then you are only lying to yourself. I'm glad that we are having this conversation because now I can finally tell you, without hurting Gohan, that I want a divorce.'"  
  
Bulma interrupted, "You mean to tell me that Goku knows what a divorce is?"  
  
Chichi scowled, "Yes. Now no more interruptions."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Anyway, 'Goku, honey, I don't know how to make that kind of dish. Do you have a recipe?' 'Don't play me for a fool, Chichi. I know what a divorce is. I may have thought that marriage was a type of food, but I know more now.' 'I will not grant a divorce!' 'Fine, I'll get one without you. All I have to do is say that Gohan is growing up in an unhappy environment and the fact that you won't grant a divorce only makes the situation worse.' 'That won't work. And besides, where are you going to get a lawyer? We don't have the money for that!' 'I have a way. And I will win. We both know that we're unhappy. Believe me, this is for the best.' 'We'll see about that.'"  
  
Chichi paused and Bulma took the opportunity to confront her again, "So, that is why you two got divorced two days before the Cell games."  
  
"Yes, it took Goku two days to find himself a lawyer and to arrange the trial. During this time, I also got a lawyer. When I found out from Goku that Tien studied law on the side of his training, I asked Tien to support me in the case. At first he said no, but Goku asked Gohan to ask him, and he said yes. It still makes me mad to know that the only reason I had a lawyer was because Goku set it up."  
  
"It's okay to be mad. After all, it has only been five days since the trial."  
  
Chichi frowned, "I know, still."  
  
**  
  
Bulma paused in her balloon work to give her fingers a break and chose instead to start wrapping the presents that Vegeta had bought. She smiled slightly as her thoughts resumed their course.  
  
**  
  
"So, do you know where Goku got a lawyer and how he arranged everything so fast?"  
  
"I have an idea."  
  
***  
  
As soon as Goku left the house, he flew angrily over to the Capsule Corp. building, his ki aura disrupting trees, water, ground, and everything else in his angry flight. As soon as he got there, he took a deep calming breath and landed quietly, sneaking into Bulma's workshop. He knew that all he had to do was ask Bulma where the dragon radar was, but then she might what to know what he wanted it for and he didn't want to tell her at the moment.  
  
It took him the rest of the day and half of the next to gather all of the balls together, but as soon as he had them all, he arranged them in a circle and prepared to call the dragon. Just at that moment, however, his son arrived in the distance. Goku sighed as he felt Gohan coming toward him. He didn't even bother to hide the balls to prevent Gohan from seeing them.  
  
"Dad, I've been searching all over for you. Where have you. Never mind. I see. So, what are you going to wish for?"  
  
Goku put on a serious face, pushing his anger to the back of his mind as he faced his son. "Gohan, I need to talk to you."  
  
"Yes dad, what is it?"  
  
Goku gestured for his son to sit as he remained standing and proceeded to tell him about the fight that he had had with Chichi and how he had told her that he wanted a divorce.  
  
"So, you and mom are separating?"  
  
"That's right son. I told her that I didn't think either of us were happy anymore and that we needed to get a divorce."  
  
"Is that what you are doing here now? Using the dragon to grant you a divorce?"  
  
Goku laughed humorlessly, "No, Gohan, I am using the dragon to get a lawyer so that I can get a divorce."  
  
Gohan nodded sagely, "Ah, I see. That is a very good idea, dad. So, who is going to represent mom?"  
  
Goku paused to consider this, "I think I remember Tien mentioning at one time that he had studied law. Can you go and ask Tien for me if he will represent Chichi in the trial?"  
  
"Sure dad. Um. What is going to happen to me when you two are divorced?"  
  
Goku smirked at his son, "I think I am going to give custody of you to Piccolo."  
  
Gohan blushed a deep red, "Dad, he's only fifteen."  
  
Goku's smirk grew wider as he turned back to the balls, "So? No one knows that, and they couldn't tell from looking at him either. Besides, if Piccolo has custody of you, then you can live with him in the woods, or in a cave, or in a house that you two build." Goku grew solemn once more, "And maybe you'll be happier than if you lived with me."  
  
"Dad, I'd be thrilled to live with you. We can train all the time," Gohan said in a desperate attempt to brighten his father up.  
  
Goku laughed, "Nay Gohan. You also need to study."  
  
Gohan blinked at this, "Dad! Why?"  
  
Goku grinned, "'So that you can get into a good school, get a scholarship, and go to a good college.'"  
  
Gohan laughed at the imitation of Chichi. Goku was cupping his hands under his chin and flashing eyelashes that weren't there a moment ago. His voice was pitched high, as he walked around and swayed his hips. As soon as Goku was finished, he turned back to Gohan.  
  
"Seriously though, if you lived with me, all we'd do is train. If you lived with Piccolo, he'll make you meditate and study. Try to study on your own while you are there so that when you are older you can at least get a job. Okay?"  
  
"Sure dad. I'll study extra hard in order to get a good job when I am older and get into a good college."  
  
"Good boy," Goku said with a nod. "Now, can you go and do what I asked you to do? Also, I expect to see you at the Cell games. 'Kay?"  
  
Gohan nodded before turning and taking off into the sky. "'Kay!" he called out before he moved out of sight.  
  
Goku sighed, 'Now that that is over, let's get back to business.'  
  
A moment later, the dragon was in the sky that was suddenly black, its huge form dwarfing Goku down below. "You have summoned me. What are your wishes?"  
  
"Hello eternal dragon, I would like my first wish to be for a good lawyer that will represent me in the case that he is going to arrange in less that two hours over at the courthouse, where he will also win the custody of my child, should something happen to me, becoming a teacher of ki and martial arts to him, in a house on some very nice land that he owns on a nice nearby island with five million dollars in the bank that he never uses except when he needs to because he has a job as a lawyer at a respectable law firm but he is representing me for free."  
  
The dragon was silent for a moment, considering the wish. It was long and bordering on two or more, yet every part was connected smoothly. The dragon was a bit irritated that it was worded so nicely. Well, almost. Goku clearly intended the lawyer to be the teacher of Gohan; yet, he was already placing that responsibility on another. But then again, who's to say he was thinking of Gohan?  
  
The dragon's eyes glowed red, "Very well, your wish is granted. What is you second wish?"  
  
Goku had to consider this for a moment. He hadn't figured out what he wanted the next wish to be. 'Should I wish for more power? No, I have enough of that. Should I wish for my friends to get the ability to resist getting killed? No, they might not like that. What about wishing for the ability to call the dragon balls to me at any time I want? No, I hardly ever use them. Hmm.' He finally settled on something that was lurking in the back of his mind. His smile brightened. Sure, it was a selfish wish, and there were other things that he could wish for to help the others, like money, but this was something...special. He never did things for himself anymore. 'And besides, Vegeta will like the wish a lot.'  
  
That settled it. "I would like to wish for the rejuvenation of Vegeta's tail as well as my own."  
  
The dragon paused to consider this wish. It was another one of those cause and effect things. Except that this time there was nothing that he could twist around. Disappointed his eyes finally glowed and he replied in a booming voice, "Your wish is granted."  
  
There was a flash and the seven balls spread to the seven corners of the world again. Goku grinned as he started to feel a tingle in his lower back, and right away, he knew that it was his rejuvenated tail. Smirking, he thought to himself as he turned to look for the absent lawyer, 'Now I am stronger than I was, thanks to the rejuvenation of my tail. I'll be careful not to lose it again.'  
  
Finally, Goku spotted the lawyer waiting patiently off to the side. He was a normal looking person, lacking any power level that Goku could sense. The man was wearing a dark gray jacket, a pair of matching pants, and a tie. His shirt under the jacket was white and the shoes that he wore were a shining black, matching the man's hair, which was parted down the middle. The man was as tall as Goku and he looked very professional with his briefcase at his side.  
  
The man walked over to Goku as soon as the Saiyan noticed him, and decided to introduce himself, "Hello sir, my name is Mr. Turner. I will be representing you in your case. Is there someway that I can get to the nearest courthouse in order to arrange the trial to take place two hours from now?"  
  
Goku nodded, "Sure, Mr. Turner, I can take you there."  
  
"Good. Just a moment please." Mr. Turner reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone and he immediately dialed a number. After a moments pause he spoke to the person on the other end, "Judy, can you please cancel my appointments for the rest of the evening? . I don't have any? . I see, well, take the rest of the day off then. . Your welcome, bye."  
  
The man closed his phone and said, "Alright let's go."  
  
Goku put a hand on the man's shoulder, brought two fingers up to his temple and focused on all the faint ki's at the courthouse. A moment later, all that remained of the two were two sets of faint footprints.  
  
***  
  
". that he searched for the dragon balls that day, and the day after, arranged the trial."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"Because, there is no way that he could've gotten such a professional in such a short amount of time. And besides, when he showed up to tell Tien and me thirty minutes before the trial when and where it was going to be, he had his tail back."  
  
"Well," said Bulma, "I suppose that you're right. He probably wished Vegeta's tail back as well. I was wondering how it got back. I only know about it because he got angry and it came out of hiding. I was so surprised to find out yesterday that he had his tail back. He and Goku managed to hide them very well during the whole battle."  
  
Chichi glared out the window, "Yes well, he cheated."  
  
  
  
People that helped me edit this one:  
  
Felix  
  
My friend Anna 


	2. Chapter 1 Part B

Fate  
  
Chapter 1 Part B  
  
Bulma finished wrapping the last gift and decided that her fingers had had a good enough break. She went back over to the helium and started on the balloons again.  
  
**  
  
Bulma had to admit that if Chichi was right, and if Goku had summoned the dragon for a lawyer, then it wasn't fair. But then she remembered the happy look on Gohan's face when he was allowed to leave his mom, and she pushed the fairness issue away.  
  
"Chichi, I'll go ahead and check the radar later, okay? In the meantime, have you noticed anything strange about Vegeta?"  
  
Chichi glared out the window again and finally answered the question that had been asked of her a while ago, "Yes, I have. He seems solemn and withdrawn. He rarely threatens anyone anymore. His mood swings are drastic, ranging from calm to raving mad in an instant. He needs to get a shirt that says, 'I go from calm to bitch in .2 seconds.' Or something like that."  
  
Bulma nodded. She had noticed the same things. "Thanks Chichi, and I am sorry about your loss. Are you going to remarry?"  
  
"Probably. I don't know. What if I remarry and I have another son and I am forced to give him up too?"  
  
"Chichi, I'm sorry, really, but there's someone out there for you. All you have to do if find him."  
  
"Yeah." Chichi forced a small smile and stood, "Well, Bulma it was great having you over. Do come by more often."  
  
"I'll try and thank you for the info."  
  
**  
  
Bulma stopped what she was doing and counted the balloons briefly before resuming. 'When I returned home, I did indeed check the radar and found that the balls weren't on it. Goku did use the balls to get a lawyer and he was very good to.'  
  
***  
  
"After hearing the case from both sides, I have come to my decision. The boy, Gohan, shall be put under the custody of Piccolo." The judge took a moment to look at the green alien standing beside the boy. Chichi had tried to prevent the decision, saying that Gohan was in love with Piccolo and that it would be unsafe. The judge had taken that to mean that Gohan felt safe with the man and so, he had made the decision as soon as she stated that fact.  
  
When the judge said this, Gohan's face lit up like a bulb, making the judge smile. 'I made the right choice. Of course Piccolo isn't showing anything,' the judge observed, looking over at him, 'I hope that he is okay with this and glad also.'  
  
"Mr. Turner shall have custody of any children that Chichi might bare in the next nine months if she has conceived one."  
  
"I don't think that you have to issue that. I'm haven't," Chichi said, upset with how the proceedings were going.  
  
"Well, I have to issue it to make sure. Now, Chichi keeps the house and all of her belongings. Goku, you need to go and make or buy a house that is somewhere at least fifty kilometers from her. You can pick up your belongings, but you are to never go near Chichi or her house again. Understood?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The judge nodded and looked back at the papers on his desk. "Hmm. I think that that just about covers it. I now proclaim that you two are officially divorced. So let it be written, so let it be done."  
  
He then raised the mallet and was about to strike it, when Chichi spoke desperately, "Wait! What about seeing rights!?"  
  
"Oh yes. Almost forgot about that. Let's see. Chichi is not allowed to see Gohan unless he wants her to. Chichi, you are to stay away from Gohan. Any attempted contact can result in a fine or a small sentence in jail. That goes for the kid that may or may not be born in the near future. After the kid is given to Mr. Turner of course. Case dismissed." As soon as he pounded the mallet on the little block of wood, he turned and made his way out the side door to his office.  
  
Chichi slumped in her chair, defeated, as soon as the judge left, "Why? Why?"  
  
Tien sighed and spoke to her softly, "I'm sorry Chichi. I did the best that I could."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry, Tien."  
  
Goku stood and thanked Mr. Turner, who told him that if he was ever in a need of his services again, then just to call. Goku nodded and accepted his card, shook Turner's hand and then approached Gohan. "Are you happy son?"  
  
"Yes dad. Thank you."  
  
"I'm glad to hear that. I'll see you later."  
  
He then went over to Vegeta, passing all his friends, who were still looking at him and Chichi in disbelief. They had all thought that he and Chichi were getting along happily. When they heard of the trail, they had all come, but they still hadn't gotten over it.  
  
"Kakarott, you finally decided to leave that hellcat?"  
  
"Hello Vegeta. And yes. I should've listened to you a year ago when you told me to leave. Sorry for waiting so long to finally get some sense."  
  
Vegeta gave him a soft smirk, "No problem Kakarott. I assume that you will listen to what I say from now on?"  
  
Goku gave him a wink and a little grin, "I'll try Vegeta. How does that sound?"  
  
"Wonderful. Shall we go now?"  
  
"Of course. After you, my prince."  
  
Vegeta's eyes flashed at that, "Are you going to call me that from now on?"  
  
"Now don't get an ego, Vegeta. I don't want you getting used to it."  
  
"Fair enough. Let's go."  
  
Together, they left everyone behind and walked out the door and over to Vegeta's car that Vegeta had driven there. Goku had asked Vegeta about eight months ago why he drove whenever he left to go anywhere instead of just flying, which in Goku's opinion was easier, and Vegeta had told him that it was none of his business. With a last wave, Goku left him in the parking lot and flew off to a cave that he found discovered one day while training and would be staying at for a while.  
  
Vegeta looked after him and finally shook his head and climbed in, muttering a soft "Baka," before he drove on back to the Capsule Corp. building.  
  
***  
  
'That had been a gruesome trail. Tien had never stood a chance. Goku's lawyer was too good. I thought at the time that Chichi might have had some chance, but no. And now no one had heard from Gohan, after the Cell games, in a little over eight months. Not to mention the fact that as soon as young Goten is a year old, Chichi is going to have to hand him over to Mr. Turner. That's very unfair. Mr. Turner isn't even a friend. He's only a friend of Goku and Goku's dead.'  
  
Bulma finished the last of the balloons and looked around the room. It was turning out nicely now. There were streamers of all colors on the ceiling and the walls, and lots of balloons tied to chairs as well as floating around. The party was in about three hours and almost everything was ready.  
  
Just then there was a knock on the door. When Bulma answered it, she saw three men in white chef uniforms with the red words "Bert's Catering Company" on their left breast pockets.  
  
"Ms. Briefs?"  
  
"Yes, that's me. Did you bring all the stuff?"  
  
The man in the middle spoke again, "Yes. It is all in the truck. Where do you want us to put it?"  
  
"I'll show you. Come with me."  
  
***  
  
Bulma smiled as she watched everyone as they ate and talked, enjoying the calm atmosphere. 'Well, almost quiet,' she thought as a group over at the card table began to complain and shout at each other. They were playing Super Famicom, and it seemed that Vegeta had won again.  
  
"That's not fair!" protested Krillen, "Vegeta shouldn't play anymore. Because he's winning, he's not getting drunk like the rest of us!"  
  
Bulma smiled, she had heard them set the rules up for winning at the start of the game. They said that the losers had to drink a glass of wine, and the winner was to receive 50 dollars from each loser. Everyone had agreed and the game had started.  
  
"How many games does that make? Nine?" asked Yamcha in a very woozy voice.  
  
"No, I think it's eleven," stated Yajarobi, doing just as bad.  
  
Then they all started arguing and Vegeta winced, for the arguing sounded ten times louder than it was to his extra over-sensitive ears. After a minute, he raised his fist to fire a ki blast, but then suddenly remembered that he couldn't. 'Damned baka!' he thought, not for the first time and certainly not for the last.  
  
It didn't matter though, as soon as his raised a fist, all the people at the table grew silent, for they didn't know that Vegeta was harmless in his present state.  
  
Mr. Turner, who was also playing the game and had come to the party, wondered what could make them all quiet like that. Mr. Turner had come once he had been invited, to take his first look at the boy, who, in about a year, he would be in charge of. He had also come to make sure that Chichi knew that she had to give him up. She did, for as soon as he started to talk to her, she had started to silently cry and had stormed off.  
  
Vegeta looked surprised that he had gotten everyone's attention, but quickly pushed it aside. "Will you all shut up? You are all making my ears hurt with your loud screaming. It was my thirty-second win. You all lost count a long time ago. Now, if you don't mind, I am leaving." With that, he scooped up all his winnings, and scrunched up his face at the unpleasant smell of the alcohol - having decided to retire to his room.  
  
Everyone watched as Vegeta went to the cradle holding the baby and peered in, his expression almost wistful. As soon as he was gone, the game went on as if it had never been disturbed.  
  
***  
  
Over the next few months, Chichi brought Goten over all the time, and seeing the baby everyday had not been good for Vegeta. Vegeta stopped eating for a bit, and he stopped training too, as the depression, anger, hurt, frustration, and emptiness that he had been holding at bay for nearly a year, finally caught up with him.  
  
He knew that not eating was very bad, and not just for him, but he couldn't force himself to eat. Then one night, after a week of this treatment, he finally decided to taste some sake and see what the big deal was about. It was then that he found out he couldn't hold his liquor. He woke up the next day and had had a sever hangover and he couldn't remember anything.  
  
When he went downstairs, he asked Bulma, "What happened last night?"  
  
She looked up at him and snickered, "You have a good singing voice, Vegeta. You should use it more often."  
  
Vegeta paled and demanded, "What are you talking about?"  
  
Bulma smiled wickedly, "I got it all on tape."  
  
Vegeta frowned, "I will not be tricked into."  
  
"Oh, no one's trying to trick you, Vegeta." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tape recorder. "You started to sing after four ounces of sake. Here listen." She pressed the button and immediately a nice clear baritone filled the room. It was clearly Vegeta's voice:  
  
'My name is Davy Jones when I sail upon the sea,  
  
I've chorused with the Sirens as they sang their songs to me.  
  
I've supped on Circe's island, thought she thought I was a boar,  
  
And she's the only girl I hope to never see once more.'  
  
"It was here that you paused for a moment and drank two ounces of the remaining sake."  
  
'Gypsy Davy I am called by when a lady follows me,  
  
Black Jack Davy, Wraggle Taggle, as together we both flee.  
  
Though she leaves me for a husband when she tires of the game,  
  
Still she blushes and looks wistful when she hears folks call my name.'  
  
"Now, this is where you drank the last two ounces of your sake, and then you crashed to the ground."  
  
There was a sound of a crash and then Bulma pushed the stop button. During the song, Vegeta had gone and sat down weakly on a chair.  
  
Bulma looked over at him with a gleam in her eyes and said, "I'll keep this, and the fact that you can get drunk and pass out after eight ounces of sake, secret from the others if you promise to play a flute and sing for me every Friday."  
  
Vegeta looked at her shocked, but that quickly faded as rage replaced his features as he leapt up out of his chair. "You're going to blackmail me?" he asked, his eyes flashing.  
  
Bulma grinned, "Blackmail? Me? I would not call it quite so crudely as to say blackmail. I prefer to think of it as, say, keeping a secret. I am very careful with my secrets."  
  
Vegeta was beyond mad now and he subconsciously tightened a fist. Bulma, seeing this, spoke up, "Now, now Vegeta, there's no need for violence. You and I both know that in the weakened state you're in, I'll probably have a better chance of winning because you'll never hit me. Sure, you can still fight, and you are stronger, but your pride would never allow such a thing."  
  
Vegeta growled, "I refu."  
  
"Don't even say it Vegeta. All I have to do is play this for everyone and you will be teased forever."  
  
Vegeta glared and finally spat out, "Fine, I'll sing for you. But that's all."  
  
"Ah, ah Vegeta. You also have to play the flute."  
  
"I don't know how."  
  
"Yes you do."  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
Bulma smirked, "Because, when we went to the music store that one time, you picked up a flute and held it as if you knew exactly what you were doing. Then you brought it to your lips. As soon as you noticed me watching you promptly put it down."  
  
"So? That doesn't mean anything. I could've seen others doing it and picked it up."  
  
Bulma looked and him closely and said, "If you do not play, then I will tell everyone your little secret."  
  
Vegeta frowned at her, "What do you mean?"  
  
She looked solemn, "I'll tell everyone the reason why you are so moody, why you had morning sickness for a full month, and why you are extra sensitive to noise. Or at least more so than usual with your advanced hearing. I will also tell everyone about what happened a year ago, and there will be nothing you will be able to do to stop me."  
  
Vegeta paled at her comments, and then he lowered his head in defeat. 'How did she ever piece it all together? And how did she ever find out about what happened a year ago.' "Very well, Bulma, I will sing and play the flute." He looked back up at her, knowing full well that his pride was at stake if he didn't do as she asked. "Can you give me a card so that I can go and get a flute?"  
  
Bulma smiled so sweetly it could've rotted Vegeta's teeth, "I got the flute the next day. I decided that I wanted to get it and give it to you as a gift someday, but the opportunity never came up. Follow me and I will get it for you. I think that you need to have time to practice before Friday so that you can play something good for me. Oh, and that reminds me, I got you a music book. I hope that you can read music, cause if you can't, then it'll be very hard for you to play the songs."  
  
Vegeta vowed that he would never forgive her as he followed her to her room and accepted the music book, stand, and flute with a glare before stomping off to his room.  
  
That night, after a lot of practice, he didn't eat once more and finally fell asleep around midnight, wishing for the familiar warmth beside him that had been absent for far to long. Unlike most nights, he had a dream that night. A dream that made him eat again the next day. Although it was only broth, it was a start.  
  
He dreamed that he was walking in perpetual darkness. There was no light and the only thing he had to follow was that of a voice that he ached for. It was softly chanting something over and over. Finally, Vegeta came to a place were he saw a figure on a thrown at the back of the room. He knew immediately that it was his father - the crimson cape and the tall spiked hair couldn't be missed.  
  
"Son, come here."  
  
Vegeta hesitantly walked up the center of the isle on a red carpet, until he was kneeling before the king.  
  
"Rise and listen to me, Vegeta." The king waited until Vegeta rose and he had his full attention before continuing. "You have been starving yourself Vegeta. Why?"  
  
Vegeta lowered his head as he stood before his father and softly responded, "I felt abandoned."  
  
King Vegeta looked at his son sympathetically, and nodded, "I understand how you must feel Vegeta, but you must understand that everything happens for a reason. Just because you feel the way you do, doesn't mean that you can hurt yourself. You're not just hurting yourself either, you know..?"  
  
"I know."  
  
"Good. Now, Vegeta, you may not know that Saiya-jins live for over four hundred years. Children are few because of this. I don't want you to die before your time. Understand?"  
  
Vegeta looked up at his father, and nodded, "I'll start eating and training again."  
  
"Good boy. You have a lot of catching up to do with your rival, so train hard. You may not be able to use ki, but if you train hard, when you can again, your ki power will rise to what it would've been and then it will double in amount. Training is definitely worth it."  
  
Vegeta looked at him surprised, "I had no idea." Vegeta suddenly smirked, "When I see him again, I'll pound him into the ground and make him feel all the pain I have." 'And more,' he thought bitterly.  
  
King Vegeta laughed, "That's the spirit boy. Now, it is time for you to go. Try to get some rest and go on a vacation. You need one."  
  
The room and the light faded as once more Vegeta was thrown into the dark. Suddenly, out of the dark, the loved voice that had been chanting the whole time could be heard load and clear, as it sang Vegeta awake in a rich tenor:  
  
To fast for days will cause a figure,  
  
To waste away a waist, or wither.  
  
Though fashion models will always try it,  
  
Heroes need a less stringent diet.  
  
It wasn't the most romantic song in the world but listening to the voice he missed so much, he really didn't care.  
  
***  
  
Bulma was overjoyed when he started to eat again, and although she tried to once again find out why he stopped eating in the first place, she never got an answer out of him.  
  
***  
  
Over the next month, Vegeta was very silent. Every Friday he would sing and play for Bulma and he practiced whenever he was done training. Finally one day, he approached Bulma and asked her if he could borrow the dragon radar.  
  
She frowned at him and asked him why he needed it, but his answer was short, and his voice sounded tired, "I'm going on a vacation." She decided not to press the issue and handed it over.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She looked at him in shock as he turned and left the room. 'I'm worried about him. He actually said something nice!'  
  
Because Vegeta couldn't fly it took nearly a month for him to gather all the balls together. Finally though he pulled the last one out of the ocean, where he had had to swim down one hundred feet to reach it and put it with the others.  
  
"You have summoned me. What are your wishes?"  
  
Vegeta looked up at the dragon, pausing to consider the wish that he wanted to make. "I wish for my condition to remain unnoticeable, instead growing in an alternate space, until one hour before the right time."  
  
The dragon paused to consider the wish. 'This is a tricky one and very unclear. However, I know what he means. Should I mess it up for him? Hmm.'  
  
The dragon spook up after a moment, "Why not just wish to be rid of the problem?"  
  
Vegeta frowned, considering the idea, "Because I haven't gone through two years of hell to back out of it now. And besides," he continued softly, "..I want this."  
  
The dragon considered him and made his decision. 'I won't mess it up for him. He really means all that he has said.'  
  
"Very well, your wish is granted," eyes glowed red before returning to normal, "What is your next wish?"  
  
"I wish for planet Vegeta-sei to be brought back to life, along with all the animals, plants and trees, but healthier and more lush than before."  
  
The dragon's voice was booming as it said, "I can bring back the plants, but not the animals. It has been longer than a year. Is this alright?"  
  
Vegeta was disappointed, "Can't you bend the rules?"  
  
The dragon was startled by the question. No one had ever asked such a thing before. His immediate reaction was to say "no", but then he looked closer at the man before him; a man different from all the others that had ever summoned him before. He seemed to glow with a bright hidden inner light and a small dim one. He also had a lot of passion in those eyes. This was something that he really wanted. The dragon knew that it exceeded that though. The man wanted his people back too. 'Too bad that even with bending the rules I could never do that. The animals however.'  
  
"Your wish will be granted. Don't tell my superior should you ever meet him." There was a flash and then the dragon was gone and so were the dragon balls for another year.  
  
Vegeta looked down at himself and smirked sadly when he noticed that he once again looked like he always had before two years ago. 'Now, to leave this pathetic mud ball and never come back,' he thought as he went to his car and headed back to Capsule Corp.  
  
***  
  
Bulma wanted to know why Vegeta needed a ship and when he told her that he was leaving, she wanted to know where.  
  
"None of your business, onna! Just let me have a ship so that I can take a break from you, Chichi, Goten.everyone! I just want to go somewhere where I can have peace and quiet for a bit."  
  
Bulma sighed; she knew the real reason that he wanted to leave. Seeing Goten everyday, the one that looked like the carbon copy of his father must have finally gotten to him.  
  
"Fine, Vegeta, but don't think that just because you are leaving means that you are getting out of your playing. When you get back, if you ever get back, then I will expect a big performance out of you. Do I make myself clear, mister?"  
  
"Clear as mud," he said sarcastically before snatching the ship from her hand. He immediately headed outside, popped the capsule and blasted off in the ship, where he spent the next four long lonely months of the journey back to his home planet.  
  
  
  
People that helped me edit this one:  
  
Felix  
  
My friend Anna 


	3. Fate: Chapter 2

Fate  
  
Chapter 2  
  
~ Back to Present - Planet Vegeta ~  
  
Vegeta came out of his thoughts by the sudden screech of a giant feathered, pterodactyl looking bird. "If I wasn't so helpless at the moment, I'd fry you," he said grumpily. Being weak was really wearing his pride thin. 'This is that baka's entire fault. It's too bad that he is never coming back. Now I'll never have a chance to fry him for doing this to me.'  
  
Vegeta looked forward once more and then smirked as he finally saw what he had been looking for. 'Soon, I'll be walking the streets of my city and the halls of my castle again.' With renewed energy, he started off again towards the faint towers in the distance.  
  
~ Back on Earth Four Months Earlier ~  
  
It had been three months since Vegeta left and although Bulma couldn't say that she missed his condescension, sharp remarks, and rotten personality, she did miss his singing and his playing. So far he'd missed about 12 Fridays. 'When he gets back, he owes me big time.' In the month that Vegeta had played for her, he had gotten very good. She had at one point suggested that he play for money, but he refused. Then one time, she asked him where he learned to play and he had said, "Mind your own affairs, onna."  
  
Although his remarks were mean, she knew that he was sourer since the Cell Games and there was nothing she could do to change that. Other than just hope that he would snap out of it soon and now wait for him to come back.  
  
Suddenly the phone range, making her drop the delicate microchip that she had been working on for four hours. Picking up the phone, she snarled into the receiver, "What is it?"  
  
There was a pause on the other end, and then a voice hesitantly asked, {Are you okay Bulma?}  
  
"No I am not okay, Yamcha! I just lost four hours of work. This had better be important."  
  
Yamcha chuckled, {Oh, it is. Turn on the news to Channel 7.}  
  
"Why?"  
  
{You'll see. Better hurry if you want to catch the beginning of it.} There was a click and then silence.  
  
Bulma hung up the phone and snorted disdainfully at her ruined work, 'He's gonna pay.'  
  
She left the lab and went into the den, surprised to find the TV already on Channel 7, with her dad watching the screen. Just at that moment, she saw the screen flash with the message, Lead Breaking News, in orange.  
  
Bulma quickly sat done and turned her full attention to the screen.  
  
"This just in: Although, there have always been speculations as to the truth about what really happened during the Cell Games, there has never been solid proof. Until now. With me today, is a young lady by the name of Akina Kioko. She is a cashier at the store, Kaiser's Toys, and she has proof of what really happened that day, two years ago." The lady turned to the young lady, pointed the mike at her and asked, "So Akina, can you tell us all what you know?"  
  
Akina blushed slightly as she turned to face the camera. "Well, it all started a year ago. I was working, when suddenly this man with very tall pointed hair said to me, just before leaving the store, that Mr. Satan was a fraud and that the young golden haired boy was the one to beat Cell. I had always had my suspicions, so I knew that I had to find out the truth."  
  
"And what did you find?"  
  
"It took me a year, but I finally got something on him. A recording or him mumbling in his sleep about the fight that he had "won." It wasn't enough to get him, so I waited and collected my data and then when I thought I had enough, I sent it here."  
  
"Thank you, Akina. Do you want to explain some of the things that you found, or would you like us to just show the clips?"  
  
"You can go ahead and show the clips. It might sound better."  
  
"Very well." The lady turned back to the camera, "Take a look at the clips and listen to the recordings that this young lady has sent to us."  
  
**  
  
The next ten minutes were full of sound and video clips. They showed Mr. Satan in all sorts of embarrassing situations. Ranging from refusals to fight, to sweating profusely before a match if cornered. Then there where the pictures of him in his room checking himself out before a mirror, while muttering how he hoped he looked strong enough to be convincing. The sound clips ranged from conversations to people over the phone and in person, to muttering to himself in his sleep. There were lots of refusals to fight, and lots of times when he would say to himself after seeing a challenger, how his chances of wining were slim to none. As the clips and the sounds proceeded, Bulma became more and more annoyed at his boasting and she knew that others watching were also, now that it looked as if everything they had believed in for so long, was turning out to be fake.  
  
Finally the clips stopped and the reporter turned back to Akina. "Is there anything that you would like to explain about your ultimate evidence before we show it?"  
  
Akina nodded, "The next clip comes from the camera that was thought to have broken during the fight. In reality, the camera had simply lost the ability to play an image. It could still record however. It was very fortunate for me that they kept the tape. They must have been hoping that someday, the technology would be great enough to fix the damaged tape. Little did they know that technology already was that good. I took it to Dr. Briefs, head of Capsule Corps, and asked him if there was something he could do. And so now, I have the whole tape. All of the fight after the picture went blank, due to the fact that the news man hadn't turned the camera off and thanks to the fact that Dr. Briefs is such a genius."  
  
**  
  
Bulma looked over at her dad, "I didn't know anything about that."  
  
Dr. Briefs shrugged, "Must have escaped my mind." On his shoulder, Scratches mewed.  
  
Bulma raised an eyebrow but dropped it for now and turned back to the screen.  
  
**  
  
"We are now going to show the tape."  
  
The tape was a miracle. It was clear, without any fuzz and it showed the whole fight. The newscasters played the whole tape, which took a long time, because no one had seen it before and this was the only news station to have the story. It even had sound, so they had to listen to more of Mr. Satan complaining, but they also got to hear the sounds of the battle and the fighters talking, thanks to the fact that the sound quality had also been improved.  
  
Everyone in the world watched the fighters go up against Cell and against the Cell Juniors. They watched as Goku teleported the monster away and were horrified when Cell came back and killed Trunks, causing Vegeta to attack the monster with hardly any ki at all by that time. Although, no one knew that he couldn't use much ki and that he really didn't fly. He just jumped very high.  
  
Everyone listened to the screams of pain Gohan made, as his arm was broken. For the first time everyone saw as Gohan blew up Cell and then they saw Earth's real savors fly off. There was a time when nothing happened, and then they saw Mr. Satan come into view, and they saw him look around in disbelief.  
  
Finally came the part they had all seen. Mr. Satan faced the camera and said that he had killed Cell. If there were some people that weren't disgusted by his whole display earlier, then they were now. The camera went blank as a moment later it ran out of tape.  
  
**  
  
The lady turned back to Akina and said, "Surly it must have crossed you mind that the tape could be false."  
  
Akina shook her head and pulled a tape recorder out of her pocket. "It's real. This is my last bit of evidence." She pressed play and Mr. Satan's weaseling voice sprang forth.  
  
**  
  
"Hello. Did you come for an autograph?"  
  
"No, I came to tell you that I know you're a fraud."  
  
"What do you mean that you know I'm a fraud? I'm Mr. Satan. I saved the world."  
  
"No you didn't. The young boy, Gohan did."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I have it all here."  
  
"That tape? Is that all? Are you trying to scare me?"  
  
"Fine, I thought you were going to be difficult. Sit down and watch it with me."  
  
There was a click and everything was silent, then another click and the conversation picked up again.  
  
"Where did you get this? What are you going to go with it?"  
  
"I'm going to show it to the world."  
  
"How much do you want in exchange for not telling?"  
  
"I don't want your money. I have what I came for. Enjoy your last moments of fame Mr. Satan. Good day."  
  
There was a click, and they all saw Akina press the stop button and put the recorder back in her pocket.  
  
"Well," said the reporter, shocked, "Have you ever thought of a becoming a journalist?"  
  
**  
  
The rest of the news report was about how all of the history and literature books which published the info that it was Mr. Satan that beat Cell, all had to reprinted with the truth and how the cartoon show with Mr. Satan as the Hero had to go off air. But above all, Mr. Satan had to pay all of the money that he had received due to his fame, to all the people that had been at the fight.  
  
All in all, it estimated to about two million dollars for every person, and four million to Gohan for actually doing the deed. Everyone knew that Goku was dead, but then again, he had relatives, right? So Goku's money went into an account that Yamcha set up for him, just in case he ever came back somehow. He even transferred all of the money from Goku's old account and into the new one, because it had a higher interest rate.  
  
Bulma took all the money that belonged to Vegeta and put it in an account along with the 1600 dollars that he had won playing Super Famicom, against the others and all the extra money that she found in his room also. She hoped that he would return and she knew that he would need the money if he left and went to live somewhere else other than Capsule Corps.  
  
Over the next few weeks everyone became famous and didn't care. Although Yamcha put his fame to good use and used it to sell more tickets to the baseball games that he played in. Bulma still missed Vegeta, but she finally allowed all of Yamcha's advances to strike home and they started dating again.  
  
It was four months after Vegeta left that there was a party get together at the Capsule building. Everyone attended, and everyone was having a good time, when an hour into the party, in walked someone that they hadn't seen since the trial.  
  
***  
  
  
  
~ Back to Vegeta-sei - Present ~  
  
Vegeta was still walking toward the city in the distance when it became too dark to see. "Kuso!" he cursed aloud as he stopped just in time to prevent himself from running into a tree. During the day, the land had started to gain trees and sparse grass the closer he got to the city. Vegeta sneered into the dark, and up at the moonless sky. He had been only five years old at the time he left with Frieza and so he knew hardly anything about his planet and even less about his species. Nappa had once told him that the full moon only lasted for one day and that it only came around once every eight years. Nappa had also said that the planet was barren in lots of places far from the cities, but Vegeta didn't remember Nappa saying it was this bad.  
  
Vegeta decided to camp out for the night, slowly settling himself down on the ground, careful of his stomach and his tail. Out of the bag that he had with him, he pulled forth one of the travel ration bars that Bulma had made. The bars were small and light, taking up hardly any room, making them a wonderful thing to have on long trips like this one.  
  
They were two inches by two inches and were so concentrated that they were able to fill up a Saiya-jin right away. This product had been tested on Goku and he hadn't eaten for a full day. It was a miracle and for this reason alone. The bars were also so full of vitamins and minerals, that eating them right before a battle was a good idea for they could keep fighters going all day.  
  
The ones that he had packed with him, were ones that were improved upon by Bulma before he left so that he could stay heather in his condition. They were also the ones that she had made especially for Saiya-jin. The ones she made for humans were no good to a Saiya-jin and didn't have the proper needed nutrients.  
  
After he had finished the bar, he tossed the one-day biodegradable wrapper on the ground and then pulled out a large fluffy blanket. Soon after, he was asleep on a planet that was now foreign to him, part of his mind wide- awake for any possible threat.  
  
**  
  
The next day, Vegeta awoke and broke camp, briefly reflecting on using the dino caps that he had packed. Just like the day before though, he decided against it just in case that he needed them for an emergency later. Picking up his pack, he again began to walk in the direction of the far off towers.  
  
Several hot and sweaty hours later, a tired and worn out Prince arrived at the gates to the imperial city. As he looked at the buildings, he was pleasantly shocked. All of the buildings were white, made out of marble. A substance, that on earth, was very expensive. The streets were clean, and there was no sewage or trash, even in the alleys. It had been a while since he had seen a Saiyan city, but now that he was finally seeing one again, he was speechless.  
  
Vegeta smirked and headed into the streets, 'Ha! Match this, Earth. I bet that your cities, although they come close sometimes, will never be as good as this one or any of the others.'  
  
Vegeta looked about the city in appreciation as he headed in the direction of the palace. He met no resistance on his way there and none upon entry. Left to himself, he proceeded to explore the castle so that he could get used to it once more. 'After all, this is going to be my home for the next five years,' he thought with slight anticipation as he looked at the walls leading to the thrown room.  
  
One side of the hall was covered with pictures of the direct royal family line starting with the very first Vegeta near the entrance of the hallway. As he walked and looked at all of the pictures he noticed two things: the figures in the pictures all had tall spiked hair; the facial features were very distinct all the way to the end, even as they changed a bit every now and then, hair becoming shorter, or the eyebrows more prominent; finally, most of the pictures were of males. The pictures that were of females still had the distinct royal features, including the tall flame hair, and they were still named 'Vegeta'. Out of thirty-two portraits, only three were female. 'Females must be very rare,' he thought absent mindedly.  
  
The other side of the wall was covered with what appeared to be the mates of the kings and queens. They all looked different and the strong main features came out in the kids only very rarely. The very last picture on the wall was of a kind faced man with Indian red hair, a firm chin and dark red eyes with silver flecks.  
  
'I wonder who that could be,' Vegeta wondered, as he read the name, Ringo- sama, at the bottom of the portrait. Vegeta then looked directly across the hall to look at the face of his father. It was quite apparent where Vegeta got his looks. Right beside the picture there was more room for others, but there was nothing, and Vegeta knew that his picture would never be on the wall, or the rest of the future line. It made him slightly remorseful as he tore his eyes away and finally entered the thrown room.  
  
The first thing that Vegeta saw when he entered the room was not the red carpet on the ground or the elaborate tapestries on the wall. He didn't notice anything other than the throne on the dais. However he didn't notice the throne because of what it represented and how important it was to his office. He noticed it first because of the figure sitting upon it.  
  
"Hello Vegeta. Long time no see."  
  
***  
  
~ Earth at that Moment in Time ~  
  
All of the noise in the room stopped as Gohan walked in with Piccolo. Ever since the trial and the Cell games, no one had seen those two. It was like they too had disappeared off the face of the planet.  
  
Gohan looked about at everyone and gave them all a nervous smile, "Umm. What are you all."  
  
Piccolo cut in and finished in a gruff, annoyed voice, ". looking at?"  
  
Bulma, in an attempt to ease the tension in the room, walked to Gohan and held open her arms for a hug. Gohan, relived, went to her and allowed her to hug him.  
  
"How have you been Gohan? No one has seen you in months! What have you been up to?"  
  
Everyone in the room listened as Gohan, after being led to a seat, told them all about the training that he had been doing with Piccolo, and how much better he was.  
  
"Of course, I have also been keeping up my studies. What would mom say if I didn't?"  
  
Everyone had to chuckle at that, which led Bulma to ask, "Gohan, have you visited your mother recently? She's worried about you."  
  
Gohan sighed, "Well, if she wanted to see me that bad then she could've been here. I even heard of this get together, and I live in the woods in the middle of nowhere. There is no excuse and I refuse to play her games anymore. Besides, Piccolo is my guardian now. I don't have to check in with her."  
  
Bulma glared at him until Gohan lowered his head. "Okay, I'll call her tomorrow and see if she wants to see me."  
  
Bulma nodded, "Good, she'll be happy to hear from you. Besides, you need to go and see your little brother."  
  
"That's right! I forgot about Goten. I'll see them both tomorrow." Gohan looked about the room and smiled at all the people there. "Where's Vegeta?"  
  
"Oh, he went on a trip. I don't know when he'll be back. I sort of miss him."  
  
Yamcha shook his head, "I don't. He was too arrogant, hostile and mean." He crossed his arms and looked spiteful, "He even took."  
  
Bulma rolled her eyes, "Not that again. Besides, I am dating you now, not him."  
  
Yamcha grinned and wrapped his arms around her, giving her cheek a light peck. "And for that I am grateful," he said.  
  
Gohan looked confused, "So Vegeta is gone? How long?"  
  
"Four months," stated Tien.  
  
"I see. It's been four months, and you have already moved on to someone else?"  
  
Bulma glared at him, "For your information, Gohan, Vegeta and I were never dating. I had a kid with him, so we made it look as if we were."  
  
"You tricked me?" asked Yamcha shocked.  
  
"I had to. No hard feelings?"  
  
Yamcha sighed and gave her a kiss, "I suppose not."  
  
"As much as this is touching, I believe we are not here to hear you two swoon over each other." Piccolo said with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"Man Piccolo, your such a wet blanket. You need to wring yourself out every once in a while," Krillin replied looking alongside at him.  
  
Piccolo grunted and just moved away to the food table to grab a glass of water.  
  
"Bulma, do you think that Vegeta is okay?" Gohan asked.  
  
Bulma smiled reassuringly at him, "I'm sure that he is doing just fine. Don't you worry."  
  
*** 


	4. Fate: Chapter 3

Fate:  
  
1 Chapter 3  
  
~ On Vegeta-sei ~  
  
As soon as Vegeta entered the room, the alien on the throne stood and began to walk towards him. "Hello Vegeta. Long time no see."  
  
Vegeta looked at the alien, his expressionless face hiding his confusion and surprise to find someone here. "Who are you and how do you know me?"  
  
"I've known about you for a long time now. When I heard that your planet had been brought back I knew that you would be here. I absolutely love your snails here, how could I ever decline the opportunity to taste them again?" The alien brought up a snail, in one of his four hands to his mouth, below where his nose would've been and slurped the snail right out of its shell. The alien briefly closed all of the eyes that wrapped around his forehead, and savored the flavor. He looked at the shell and tossed it aside to reside with all the other empty shells and said, "Hmm. They struggle a bit too much though. However, they are delightful just the same.  
  
"Look, whoever you are, I did not give you permission to land on my planet and start eating my snails. I also did not give you rights to enter my thrown room! I demand that you leave right this moment!"  
  
The alien looked at him amused, "Oh, I do not think so, my little prince. You see, I did not come all this way just to leave and I do not think that you can stop me from being here."  
  
"Little! I am the strongest warrior alive! How dare you defy and provoke me. I will teach you not."  
  
The alien broke in, "Really Vegeta, even I did not think that you would be so stupid as to threaten me. We both know that I am stronger than you. Especially now that you are helpless and can't defend yourself."  
  
"I am far from being defenseless! You'll pay for."  
  
"Ah, ah, ah, none of that now. I have a proposition for you."  
  
"I care not of your little proposition. I want you out and now! You are trespassing in my palace and I will not have it! Be gone you insect!"  
  
"Oh, do excuse me my little prince. My name is Lord Cronos. You will call me nothing but that from now on. Now say it or I will squash you, put you under a rock, and eat you with my bread tomorrow morning!"  
  
Vegeta snorted and crossed his arms over his chest while wrapping his tail tighter around his waist. "You are a loon if you think that I am going to call you that."  
  
"No Vegeta. I am quite sane and I am serious also. You will call me that because in a few minutes you will be my property."  
  
Vegeta's tail bristled and he hissed out, "What makes you think that I am ever going to be a slave to you?"  
  
Lord Cronos smirked and came closer, dwarfing Vegeta by two feet and bent down, "Because your honor and your duty as the prince of your people will make you accept my proposition.  
  
Vegeta backed up discreetly and returned the smirk, "Oh?"  
  
Cronos straightened and looked amusedly at the little prince. "I have a deal to make with you and I think that you will want to take it very seriously if I know you. And I think that I do, oh yes." His grin was purely evil and filled with so much malicious intent that anyone other than Vegeta would have trembled.  
  
"Fine, out with it, because I have better things to do than listen to you," growled Vegeta.  
  
Cronos' eyes flashed as he grinned, reveling three rows of sharp pointed teeth. He got about two inches from Vegeta, drew up his hand and slapped Vegita across the face so hard that he flew against the marble wall, causing it to crack.  
  
Vegeta clutched his stomach protectively with one arm, supporting himself up on the other and looked up at this. demon thing, as Cronos flashed his teeth once more and continued to speak.  
  
"Very well, Vegeta, the first thing that I am going to teach you is to never talk that way to me. I like your spirit and I will let this insolence go for now. Keep in mind that if you are ever impudent to me again, I will have to teach you a lesson ten times harsher than even Frieza could ever come up with."  
  
Vegeta glowered at him, but didn't say anything, as he briefly remembered a "lesson" that he had been taught by Frieza when he was fifteen years old.  
  
***  
  
~ Frieza's Ship 20 Years Ago ~  
  
"Vegeta what did you just say?" Frieza asked, his eyes narrowed and daring the boy to continue.  
  
Vegeta glared back at the one before him and then spat out, "I said, Frieza, that I refuse to do anymore of your dirty work. I do not like taking orders from you and I refuse to do anything else that you tell me to do. You'll have to kill me first."  
  
Frieza shook his head as if pained by Vegeta's words, "That, my little weakling, can be arranged." Frieza turned to the guard at his side and gestured toward Vegeta, "Give him the Tail Treatment in Cell Block B, Cell Tor31ture."  
  
The guards eyes widened, "But Lord Frieza, are you sure that."  
  
"Of course I am sure!" Frieza hissed dangerously.  
  
The guard nodded meekly and began backing away when Frieza stopped him, "I will be administrating the punishment myself. I expect everything to be ready for me when I get there."  
  
The guard bowed and then ran from the room and the wrath of the tyrant that he feared to receive.  
  
"Vegeta, when I am through with you, you will never disobey or talk back to me again. As of today, I will crush your spirit."  
  
Vegeta just looked defiantly at him and followed Frieza out of the room.  
  
**  
  
The next five hours were very painful for Vegeta. Turns out Frieza knew exactly what he was doing and the punishment that Vegeta went through changed him for the rest of the time that he was on the ship, for fear of it being done again. Not that it really mattered. After the "treatment," Vegeta wouldn't have been able to feel it if Frieza repeated the process. So Vegeta behaved for the fear that Frieza would do something else to him that was far worse.  
  
Although, what could be worse than what Frieza did that day was beyond the young boy's imagination.  
  
**  
  
When the two of them appeared in the proper cell on the ship, Frieza chained Vegeta to a torture rack on his stomach. As soon as Vegeta was properly pinned, he turned to the tall, mouth less, orange alien that usually dealed with the torture process and ordered, "Take off his clothes and ready him for the treatment."  
  
The aliens eyes flashed and he nodded, responding telepathically into Frieza's mind, Yes, sir. I will have him ready right away.  
  
While Frieza waited off to the side, the alien used one of his sharp nails to quickly cut Vegeta's clothes into segments on his body and then proceeded to strip him of the pieces, until he lay naked on the rack.  
  
Frieza licked his lips and eyed Vegeta with satisfaction, "Ah, good. You may go. I wish to administer his punishment myself."  
  
The alien nodded, Yes, master. With a bow, the alien left the room.  
  
As soon as the alien was gone, Frieza looked over at Vegeta and smirked. He went closer to the prone, helpless young man on the rack and hissed in his face, "You know what I am going to do to you? I am going to make you wish that you never pissed me off. You value your pride? Well, after this, you won't have any. The pride that you do have will just be a guise because you will remember this moment for the rest of your life. This moment will serve to prove to you that you are not as powerful as you think you are and that there will always be others out there stronger than you."  
  
Vegeta looked at the alien with defiant eyes that hid the fear he was feeling. He knew that this was not a good situation that he was in and he would be lucky to live through it.  
  
Frieza smirked, "Enjoy your last moments of confidence Vegeta." Frieza gave him a smile that was so evil it rivaled the Demon King and paced over to the shelf on the wall, picked up various tools and walked back to Vegeta.  
  
He then told Vegeta what he was going to do. "You see all of these?" he asked. "I am going to use them on you. Is there anything you want to say before we begin?"  
  
Vegeta's eyes flashed with anger, "You will never break me!"  
  
Frieza chucked evilly, "We'll see about that Vegeta."  
  
Frieza proceeded to put all of the instruments that he was caring on the tray beside the torture rack and picked out a fork. With a sadistic smile directed at Vegeta, he straightened out Vegeta's tail and then brought the fork down.  
  
Vegeta's cry could be heard throughout the ship. People all over stopped working for a moment to face the direction the sound was coming from, curious as to what was causing it, while at the same time even the coldest hearts stopped from the fierce pain that they heard in the long scream.  
  
Frieza's eyes flashed harshly, and he peered down at the figure withering on the rack before him. It was easy to see that Vegeta was in a lot of pain from the way that his eyes watered and the sounds that he made. If Freiza wasn't so cruel, he might have stopped what he was doing at the sound. As it was, he just smirked and raised the meat cleaver that he had ready beside him.  
  
At the sight of what Frieza had in his hand, Vegeta tried to jerk his tail away, but the immense pain of the fork holding his tail to the rack stopped him as he cried out once more. Then Frieza brought the cleaver down and Vegeta knew no more.  
  
**  
  
Vegeta was rudely awaked to icy cold water on his face and his hair being pulled. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Freiza, looming over him, bloody cleaver in hand. At the sight of the blood, Vegeta became aware that he could no longer feel anything from his tail other than a very sharp pain that wouldn't go away.  
  
At the feeling, he cried out once more, but Frieza clapped a hand over his mouth and hissed out, "Silence. No more screams out of you until I actually do something. I didn't wake you up just to hear you scream before I want you too."  
  
Vegeta eyes, filled with pain, widened and he clamped his teeth down on Frieza's fingers.  
  
Frieza roared with pain and anger, snatching his hand away, and slapping Vegeta hard with the other. "How dare you, you dirty monkey! Just for that, I am going to make your punishment even worse."  
  
Frieza threw the bloody clever back down on the rack, and then picked up a dull knife. Turning around, he hissed at Vegeta, "This is it. Say goodbye to you precious tail."  
  
Frieza wasted no time in gripping the crushed, bloody remains of Vegita's tail in one hand and the knife in the other and then proceeding to cut above the fork, just at the base of the tail. Frieza grinned as Vegeta let out another scream, his back arching off of the torture rack.  
  
After cutting the tail into six strips in such away that the bone was located in one piece, muscle another, sinew and skin a separate, and so on. You could see all of the make-ups of Vegeta's tail after Frieza's expert cuts, the blood pooling around the pieces and falling off the torture rack, onto the floor.  
  
Vegeta shut his eyes in relief from the pain, as the nerves were cut and he could no longer feel his tail and the immense pain. Vegeta opened his eyes again when he sensed that Frieza was done, and was met by another sadistic smile.  
  
"I love hearing you scream little prince. Although I think that you might not be able to feel your tail now that I cut all of the nerves. So, we are going to go on to the next part.  
  
With a quick slice, Frieza cut off Vegeta's tail at the base and removed the fork. Holding the tail up, he allowed Vegeta to see it.  
  
At the sight of his mangled tail, Vegeta grimaced and closed his eyes once more, in hopes of blocking out the sight. It was really terrible what Frieza had done to the appendage, and it hurt knowing that he no longer had a tail.  
  
Frieza nodded in enjoyment and surveyed his handy work. "Okay Vegeta, time for the next part. You are going to love this."  
  
Vegeta knew full well that he wouldn't like this at all, but there wasn't anything that he could do about it as Frieza hoisted him up off the rack and chained him to the wall. Too weak still from the earlier torture, Vegeta's knees buckled as he almost fell to the floor, only stopped by the chains on his wrists.  
  
As soon as he had Vegeta where he wanted him, Frieza raised the tail, gripping it by the middle where the fork had been, with the mangled part curled in his fist. He positioned himself behind Vegeta and said softly just before proceeding, "We're going to see just how well Saiya-jin tails are for whipping. Surprised that I didn't bother to find out before now."  
  
When Frieza brought the tail down like a whip, Vegeta clenched his mouth tight against the pain of his tail being used against him, as the bone sliced into his back.  
  
Frieza caught on after a few lashes that a tail was not a good tool to use for a whip someone. Everything was too soft, except for the bone that left interesting square looking marks behind. If Frieza wanted to cause a lot of pain and bring out more blood than he was at the moment, he would have to use a real whip.  
  
Sighing with disappointment, Frieza went back over to the torture rack and put the whip down, then walk over to a shelf and picked out a nice cat-o- nine tails whip. Stretching it between his hands, he paced back over to Vegeta and grinned, "Let's see how long you can stand up to two hundred lashing." With an evil smile, he brought the whip down, counting off the strokes in his cold voice.  
  
Vegeta lost count at thirty-seven when he could no longer feel the lashes of the whip on his bare back. All he could hear was the slicing of the air and the whip when it connected with a sickening wet 'smack'. And then Frieza whipped him lower on his back, harder than ever, and with a cry, Vegeta blacked out.  
  
**  
  
When he awoke, he was floating in a pale green liquid substance. Before him, was a room, filled with technical equipment and he knew that he was in a rejuvenation tank. There were weird looking aliens walking about the room and occasionally one went to check up on other patients in the room. Finally, one came in his direction and checked the machine. When the alien saw that the light was green, he nodded and pushed a button to drain the tank.  
  
Once the liquid was gone, the front of the tank opened and Vegeta wearily steeped out. He looked about him and his eyes finally settled on the alien that had let him out. "What am I doing in here?" he demanded.  
  
The alien had been taking care of Vegeta's injuries ever since he had first arrived on the ship, ten years ago, and was far too used to Vegeta's attitude to be intimidated by him. Vegeta may have surpassed him in power three years ago at the age of twelve, but that didn't mean anything to the doctor.  
  
The alien looked at Vegeta closely with his shining reptilian opaque eyes, "You are in the medical lab. Where else would you be?"  
  
Vegeta sighed as he sat down an the steps leading down to the floor, "I didn't think that Frieza would put me here."  
  
The alien shook his head at the comment, "Nonsense Vegeta. Your Frieza's top fighter. If he let you die, it would do a lot of damage to his army. You know that."  
  
Vegeta nodded but replied bitterly, "Then why did he almost kill me?"  
  
The alien shook his head, "Vegeta, you need to learn that you can't disobey Frieza. This is what happens when you do. Although, what you did must have been even worse than before because usually he just hits you. What did you do to make him so angry?"  
  
Vegeta was silent and the alien finally continued, "Just be more careful Vegeta. You know that you can always talk to me if you need to." He stopped and observed the dejected form before him and in an attempt to cheer him up said, "At least he let you keep your tail. He even let me fix up you back with a cream I made so that you won't have any scars."  
  
Vegeta looked up at him sharply and ignoring the commit about his back, jumped to the point. "My tail? What do you mean? Frieza pounded it into a pulp, cut it up, and then cut if off."  
  
The alien winced, "I know. I saw what it looked like when Frieza's aid dropped you and your tail off. It was a mess to be sure. I didn't know how to fix it. Can you feel it?"  
  
Vegeta considered this and finally shook his head, "I can barley feel it. I can move it, but I've lost control of where it goes, now that I can't feel it."  
  
The alien sighed, "I thought that would be the case. I'm sorry Vegeta. I had to sew it back together, treat it with a formula of mine to heal it and then I sewed it back on to your sump. I hoped that it would heal. I suppose the damage was too great for even the tank to fix. The only thing that I can suggest is to try and get used to it. At least you still have it."  
  
Vegeta snorted and focused on wrapping his tail about his waist before standing and pacing out of the room.  
  
**  
  
After that torture incident, Frieza decided that if Vegeta couldn't stay awake for more than forty-three lashes, then he needed practice. So began the sessions where Frieza would whip Vegeta till he passed out and then have him placed in a tank to heal.  
  
With Dr. Bordure's cream, Vegeta's back healed without scars and he was ready for more whipping within two days.  
  
With the treatments, Vegeta's power level rose greatly from being brought to the brink of death so often. Frieza didn't realize that the beating were the cause of this rise and continued with the practice until he felt that Vegeta's tolerance of pain was acceptable.  
  
During the seven months that this went on, Vegeta was only spared from the beatings when he was sent on purge missions. This treatment and the previous torture, contributed to the reason that Vegeta hated Frieza so much and why he was never able to feel his tail anymore. Although he was able to get used to moving it, he never forgave Frieza for ruining it. When it was cut off by Krillin years later it wasn't much of a loss, although he never forgave him either.  
  
***  
  
~ Present day on Vegeta-sei ~  
  
Vegeta finally came back to the present and faced Cronos, "I don't think you can manage that."  
  
Cronos raised an eyebrow as he watched Vegeta rise from the floor, "Really? Did Frieza really torture you so badly that there is no way I can match it?"  
  
Vegeta snickered, "No. I just don't think that you can do so."  
  
Cronos looked at him and smirked, "We'll see about that Vegeta. I'll find someway. You'll see. And now, if you are done resting, I will tell you my proposition now."  
  
Vegeta wrapped his tail about his waist tighter, briefly for once realizing just how much he appreciated being able to feel his tail again and faced Cronos, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at him indifferently. 'If he hits me again.'  
  
Cronos nodded, "Anyway Vegeta, the reason that I came was not to put up with your attitude. It was to offer you something that no one else can. For a price of course."  
  
Vegeta continued to just look at him and Cronos continued after a moment. "This is the deal Vegeta. I'll bring all of the Saiya-jins back to life, if you become my slave."  
  
Vegeta dropped his arms to his side and stormed toward the alien, his face enraged. "How dare you mock and lie to me!" he raged.  
  
Cronos was unmoved and bared his teeth at him, "I am serious Vegeta and you are once more testing my patience."  
  
Vegeta stopped his advance, unsure of what to believe. It was simply too good to be true that his people could be brought back. 'If this is real, then the cost is my freedom.' Vegeta didn't like that at all, but he knew that the alien had been right. He couldn't allow his pride to get in the way. He had to do this because of his duty as the prince of his people.  
  
Cronos smiled when he saw the change in Vegeta, "So, you are really going to be my slave for the rest of your life? Or are you going to say no?"  
  
Vegeta's eyes flashed, "What joke are you playing?"  
  
"No joke. I can and will bring them back to life, if I have your word that you will be my slave."  
  
Vegeta's pride screamed at him to say no, but no matter what his mind told him, he knew that he had to do the right thing and came to his decision, "I will be your slave, but you have to bring my people back first, and wait for eight years."  
  
Cronos frowned, "Fine, I will bring your people back. But I will not wait for seven years. I will only wait for six."  
  
"Seven, and that's my final offer."  
  
Cronos growled, "Fine. I bring your people back right now and in seven years, you become my slave for the rest of your life."  
  
Vegeta, determined not to show how upset he was, nodded, "I only do this for my people."  
  
"But of course. After all, who in their right mind would want to be a slave for the rest of their life?" Cronos looked around for another snail to eat and didn't find one. Disappointed, he turned toward the entrance and tossed a, "Come with me," over his shoulder as he disappeared out of the room.  
  
Defeated, Vegeta followed him out into the courtyard and watched with detached interest as Cronos lifted himself up into the air and raised his hands above his head.  
  
*** 


	5. Fate: Chapter 4

Fate  
  
Chapter 4  
  
When Cronos was ready, his hands started to glow and the light gradually increased to cover his entire body. On the ground, Vegeta suddenly lost sight of the four armed, nose less alien as the area around him flashed a brilliant white. The light increased, till Vegeta had to close his eyes from the intense light as it covered him also.  
  
Then there was a soft sound on the ground and Vegeta cautiously opened his eyes to look at the form of Cronos before him as he landed. "Well? What was all that?" asked Vegeta gruffly.  
  
"That, was me bringing everyone back to life." He smirked at Vegeta and continued before the prince could say anything. "Everyone is the proper age that they would have been if they were never blown up when Frieza killed them all. They will start arriving now and should all be here in about thirty minutes. I suspect that they are wondering at this moment what just happened, so I will leave you now to deal with the new comers and wait for the others. Remember that you have exactly seven years starting tomorrow, just to be fair. If I have to search for you, then there will be hell to pay. Be back here, at this spot, when it is time. And now, my new slave, I am off."  
  
Cronos launched himself into the air once more, but paused when Vegeta asked, "Just how did you bring everyone back? Are you some sort of wizard?"  
  
Cronos laughed a bone chilling laugh and replied, "A wizard never would have been powerful enough to do what I just did." Cronos landed on the ground and crossed all of his arms together and looked at Vegeta amused, "I am Lord Cronos, and I a mortal with the powers of a god." He smirked at Vegeta's shocked and skeptical face, "Yes, that is right. I can bring people back to life because of this, and I am more powerful than even you can imagine." He rose into the air once more, "I will be back in seven years Vegeta. Don't try to hide because I will find you." That said he then blasted off out of sight.  
  
**  
  
Vegeta looked after the disappearing ki trail with dread, not looking forward to the end of the seven years at all. With a scowl, he turned back to the palace and began to walk through the courtyard exit, when he nearly bumped into a person.  
  
Startled, Vegeta stopped in his tracks and stared at the person in disbelief, not expecting to run into anyone so soon. Slowly, he surveyed the person and came to the conclusion that he was weaker than a third class based on his power level and from his tail, he appeared to be a Saiya-jin. The man had light brown hair, with a mustache and his tail was wrapped protectively around his waist. He was also taller than Vegeta, something that was not uncommon at all.  
  
"Who are you and where did you come from?" Vegeta asked irritably.  
  
The Saiya-jin looked down at him, cocking his head to the side as he studied him. He noticed that the one standing before him, his tail curled about his middle, looked a lot like the king. The man was shorter than the average Saiya-jin, and looked almost like a female that he had seen once. Females were very rare, making up about five percent of the population, and had slighter frames than males. The figure also had a very tiny, almost non- existent ki level. 'Humph. He's too weak for me to waste my time with. Might as well be a female,' the male thought in dismay.  
  
The Saiya-jin looked Vegeta up and down for a moment then said in disgust, "I don't have to waste my time with you. Move along you pathetic earthworm. Go back to the slugs you reside with and for Kami's sake take a bath."  
  
Turning to the Saiya-jin male that had just come out from behind him, he said, "Come, we have no time to waste on people with such a low ki level that they would not even fit into a fifth class warrior level if such a thing existed." He turned once more to Vegita and yelled, "Did you not hear me? I said move! You are in the presence of a first class noble warrior and his mate! Move, or I shall blast you into oblivion!"  
  
He paused, staring at Vegeta for a moment, noticing that he was not moving and raised his hand before him. "I command you to move this moment you pathetic little third class warrior!" he slashed his hand down with such speed that it almost could not be seen. To his surprise, Vegeta moved his head to the side, avoiding the attack. Most of the time that move would have taken out any first class.  
  
Vegeta was seething inside. This was the grandest of insults he had. No, that was wrong. It wasn't the worse insult that he had ever faced, but it was tremendous. Made worse knowing that it was coming from a person that should've known who it was he was addressing. And to top it all off, he had tried to hit Vegeta across the face. 'All I have to do is tell him that I am the Prince and he will leave me alone. It would be unwise to pick a fight. Or I could act humble and apologize, get out of his way and ask around for information.' He disliked the last idea very much; he couldn't even begin to imagine himself doing it.  
  
With a growl, Vegeta straightened to his full height of five foot seven and bared his teeth at the fool before him, "Have you no idea who you are addressing in such a disrespectful manner?"  
  
The Saiya-jin smirked, "No. It is of no matter to me. One of my station doesn't affiliate with the likes of low class beings such as yourself." He paused for a moment to consider Vegeta once more and continued, "However, since you feel that it is important for me to know your name, please humor me by telling it to me."  
  
Vegeta frowned, realizing that to tell the fool his name would be losing the battle and he wasn't about to do that so easily. Also, it would damage his pride, letting the man bait him in such a manner. With a snarl Vegeta replied, "You think that it means that much to me! You'll pay for your insubordination as soon as my father hears of this!"  
  
The man snickered, "Who do you think you are? The Prince? I don't think so. But, just to humor you, I will tell you my name. You are fortunate enough to bask in the presence of the Great Noble Hero to the Ou himself, the supreme warrior," at this he stuck out his chest and proudly proclaimed, "Yucano!"  
  
Vegeta scoffed at him, "You sure do have a high opinion of yourself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have much more pressing matters to attend to." With that, Vegeta moved forward to brush past Yucano, but his way became blocked by the slightly smaller form of Yucano's mate, though he was still larger than Vegeta.  
  
"What are you doing?" Vegeta barked. "Out of my way."  
  
The other man shook his head, "I am sorry, but it is rude to leave a conversation without proper leave. You will have to wait until Yucano says that you can go."  
  
Vegeta couldn't believe what he was hearing. "This is high treason! I demand that you let me go at once."  
  
Yucano smirked, "I didn't think that I was doing anything that could be classified as treason. What do you think Larrese, should we let him go?"  
  
Larrese, studied Vegeta for a moment and gave him a brief warm smile, "I don't think that he'll be a bother to you anymore, Yucano. I say that we let him go. Besides, I'm sure that he wants to go and find his family, now that he is back alive again."  
  
"Hmm. I suppose that you are right. Though, why he wouldn't know where they are already is the question." He peered at Vegeta keenly and hissed, poking a finger at his chest, "If you ever bump into me again, I will make you wish that you had never been brought back to life." Yucano then took Larrese's hand and pushed Vegeta out of the way, as he left the doorway and continued across the courtyard.  
  
Vegeta watched the two men leave, his hands clinched at his sides, hating his lack of ki more at that moment than he ever had. 'As soon as I can make that guy pay without endangering it or myself, I will,' he promised himself as he walked back to the thrown room.  
  
~ What Happened After Cronos' Big Flash of Light ~  
  
A pale yellow alien, blue slip of paper in hand, ran from King Yemma's desk all the way to the private plane that had been ordered to take him to the Grand Kai's planet. Ignoring all of the protests directed at him as he bumped into many of the two horned supervisors and stepped on many of little blue bouncing souls, he quickly reached the plane, knocking over a guard as he threw open the door.  
  
Once inside, he quickly buckled the seatbelt, a strange strap of material, supposed to protect him if the plan crashed, and turned to the pilot. "Well, what are you waiting for? We need to go now!" he said annoyed.  
  
The driver, a blue skinned alien with green spots, rolled his eyes, "I have to wait for the clearance. What's the emergency anyway?"  
  
The yellow alien looked at the pilot in disbelief, "They didn't tell you?"  
  
The pilot looked at the little numbers covering the gadgets on the dashboard and responded absent mindedly, ".No."  
  
The alien gave a frustrated sigh, 'Well, what did I expect? For the administrators to tell him what was happening? How stupid can I get.' He turned to look out the window and wondered if it was possible for him to fly to the planet before the plane left the ground.  
  
Just then, a loud crackling filled the small cockpit and the pilot picked up the radio.  
  
"Pilot 36b here. How may I help you? Over."  
  
"Pilot 36b, this is air control. You are free to take off. Over."  
  
"Roger that. Over and out." The pilot turned the mike off and addressed him as he put the plane into motion. "There. We're off. Are you happy?"  
  
The alien sighed, "Good. Now hurry. I am caring a code blue message!"  
  
The pilot started, his hands gripping the wheel hard, "Why didn't you say so!" The pilot pushed the plane to its limits as he tried to get off the planet going as fast as he could.  
  
'Now that's more like it,' the yellow alien grumbled as he stared out the window, watching, as the planet in the distance grew larger.  
  
**  
  
As soon as the plane landed, the pale yellow alien leaped out and started to run as fast as he could to the Grand Kai's house. On the way there, he passed many different aliens, including one with dark spiked hair and an orange gi, working on one fingered, handstand pushups.  
  
As the alien passed him, Goku looked up briefly, wondering why the being was in such a hurry. This was after all, a place of never ending time. Everyone had all the time in the world here. Frowning, he tuned his attention back to his counting and discovered that he had lost count again for the third time. With a patient sigh, Goku switched hands and started again at one, determined not to quit until he reached a million. Even though his stomach had other ideas. This was definitely the ultimate test of will power.  
  
The yellow being stopped before the house and jumped about frantically, trying to decide whether to just barge in or not. Finally, the choice was made for him as the Grand Kai himself walked out the door.  
  
As soon as the Grand Kai saw him, the yellow alien dashed forward, thrusting the blue note at him. "Grand Kai, I have a urgent blue note from King Yemma."  
  
Startled, the Grand Kai took the note and quickly read it. His eyes widened and he turned to the alien, "What is your name?"  
  
"Kaisei, sir."  
  
"Well, Kaisei, thank you for getting here as fast as you could. Run back and tell King Yemma, that there is nothing I, or anyone else can do to prevent this from happening. Rather, I will start the preparations so that there are no mistakes." With an unhappy shake of his head, the Grand Kai turned and went back inside.  
  
When the Kai was gone, Kaisei sighed and started to run back towards the plane that would take him back to King Yemma's place. He almost passed Goku before the warrior looked up again and immediately lost count once more. With a heavy sigh, Goku straightened up and moved with blinding speed to cut Kaisei off.  
  
With a started yelp, Kaisei ground to a stop and asked politely, "Can you please move, so that I can continue on my assignment?"  
  
Goku brought his hand up and rubbed the back of his head, "What do you have to do that is so urgent."  
  
Kaisei looked at him in disbelief, "I am King Yemma's personal messenger and I have a urgent message that I need to deliver. Please move out of my way."  
  
Goku grinned, "Here, let me get you there. I can't concentrate on pushups at the moment anyway."  
  
Kaisei didn't have anytime to argue before the tall warrior placed a hand on his shoulder and everything disappeared.  
  
**  
  
The next thing Kaisei saw was the very tall desk that King Yemma was sitting behind. King Yemma looked down at them and smiled, "Ah, Goku, I see that you've meet Kaisei, my messenger.  
  
Goku laughed, "Well, it was a little hard to miss him. I lost count both times he raced past me, so I decided to take him here."  
  
King Yemma chuckled, "Thank you Goku for doing that. Now, don't you have to get back to your training?"  
  
Goku sighed, "It's no fun training without."  
  
King Yemma looked at him sympathetically, "I know that Goku. But you made the decision and now you are going to have to live with it."  
  
Goku sighed and nodded in understanding, then raised two fingers to his temple and disappeared.  
  
Kaisei blinked once more in astonishment before he turned to King Yemma, deciding that he could find out more about that fighter later. "King Yemma, the Grand Kai asked for me to tell you this: 'there is nothing I, or anyone else can do to prevent this from happening. Rather, I will start the preparations so that there are no mistakes.'"  
  
King Yemma rested his head in his hand, "That's what I thought. Great. Just great." King Yemma rose from his chair and addressed Kaisei briefly, "Take a break. I have pressing matters to attend to."  
  
After King Yemma disappeared though the door beside the desk, Kaisei sunk into a small chair nearby with a satisfied sigh and prepared to make the most of his long awaited break.  
  
**  
  
King Yemma arrived at his destination using a teleportation portal, to find that all the Kai's were already gathered. Taking a seat in one of the seven chairs at the round table, he looked around at the plain, white walled room briefly, before facing the others.  
  
"I suppose that you all have heard about what has happened?"  
  
West Kai snorted, "Of course! The Grand Kai told us as soon as he heard about it. How exactly did this happen?"  
  
King Yemma sighed, "I can only tell you what I know. Somehow, someone was able to bring all of the Saiya-jin back to life and if we don't do something quick, all of the Saiya-jins will be brought back without any souls. For as you know, it has been over thirty years since they were destroyed and quite a few of the souls have already moved on. The ones that haven't are getting cleaned and prepared for their next lives. This is a terrible problem that we have never had to face before and all you need to help."  
  
The Supreme Kai shook his pastel purple head sadly, his white hair moving from side to side, "Then what are we waiting here for? We need to get all the messengers out."  
  
"He's right," voiced South Kai. "We all need to dispatch them to round up all the Saiya-jin souls that are floating about in heaven."  
  
"And," the East Kai continued, "we need to pull all the souls out of the cleaner, reverse the process and replace all of the of the souls that have been reborn with others that are ready."  
  
North Kai frowned, his halo tipping to the side as he puzzled this over. "How many souls are we talking about? And does it include those killed later on?"  
  
King Yemma shook his head, "No, it only includes the people that blew up with the planet and the ones that were killed on board Frieza's ship right before that time."  
  
"Well, that means that Goku stays," concluded the Grand Kai.  
  
"It also means that he is going to continually get more and more depressed as he is stuck here forever." North Kai muttered darkly.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked South Kai.  
  
North Kai waved the question away, "Nothing, other than the fact that he wants to go back to Earth and see certain warriors."  
  
King Yemma nodded, knowing all about what was going on. It was written in the deed book after all. In fact, the circumstances insured that Vegeta would come here when he died instead of to the Home For Infinite Losers, or the HFIL.  
  
"Anyway," North Kai went on, " Turles, Nappa and Raditz can't come back either and try to destroy Earth again."  
  
"Yes, well, that is always a good thing," laughed King Yemma.  
  
"Are we going to do this or not?" asked the East Kai in annoyance.  
  
"Or course we are! We have twenty minutes remaining. Come on let's go." King Yemma stood and they all followed him out of the room to start the major task of preventing the situation from getting out of control.  
  
**  
  
By some miracle, all of the reborn Saiya-jin souls had been recalled and replaced. All of the remaining ones had been gathered and pulled out of the cleaning chamber with five minutes left to spare. Spread out before King Yemma and the six Kai's were about one and a half billion Saiya-jins in light blue spirit form. They were all hopping around like little children, their voices high pitched and hyper. Even the ones that had been in hell were there. King Yemma had had to politely ask for all of the souls there to come up here. It was easy to see which ones those were for they were red and not light blue. Now all the leaders had to do was send them all back to Vegeta-sei, even as some of them disappeared on their own.  
  
King Yemma frowned as yet another soul blinked out, knowing that he and the others had to take charge to make sure that everything worked out the way it should. "Okay everyone. Are you all ready?"  
  
"Of course," replied South Kai. "We've been ready."  
  
"Good, everyone take their places at the portal and make sure that everyone gets through."  
  
After everyone was in place, King Yemma turned to all the souls and explained the situation to them. "It seems that someone has made it possible for you all to come back to life and live again as Saiya-jins within thirty minutes."  
  
All of the blue souls became even more hyper, if that was possible and started jumping around even more. King Yemma sighed and continued, "Now, all of you will enter bodies that aged during this time and some of you may die if you are too old. Planet Vegeta-sei was brought back so everything looks the same as it did the day that you died. Except that it was enhanced with more vegetation and animals. Now, if you all would calmly pass through the portal, it will take you to Planet Vegeta-sei."  
  
Five minutes later all of the souls that hadn't already disappeared, passed through the portal. As soon as the souls were all gone, King Yemma faced the others and thanked them, telling them all that he would watch over circumstances until he was sure everything was working out like it was supposed to or he needed help.  
  
North Kai sighed, "Unfortunately, now I have more people to look after. Beings that are very powerful warriors and like blowing things up. Who was it that was powerful enough to do this anyway?"  
  
King Yemma sighed and the Grand Kai frowned, "Whoever it was they had enough power to bring the people back with their original bodies, ageing like they had never died in the first place And you all know it is impossible to bring back a body that was incinerated more than thirty years ago. Much less the original one."  
  
"This may mean," King Yemma supplied, "that the universe could be faced with a terror that it had never seen the likes of before. I fear that if this is true, there is no one powerful enough to stop him."  
  
All of the Kai's looked grim as they separated, going back to their planets and warriors in order to think things over and try to make plan against the impending doom.  
  
Before they left hearing range however, King Yemma and the Supreme Kai heard the West Kai say to the North Kai, "I bet that Pikehan could beat the guy."  
  
North Kai laughed, "Ha! No way, Goku will!"  
  
"Goku's dead."  
  
"So's Pikehan."  
  
"Pikehan would've beaten him so bad, he woul."  
  
As they moved out of hearing range, King Yemma said to the Supreme and Grand Kai, "It might not be such a bad idea to bring them back to life as soon as we discover if there is a threat or not. It's too bad that we can't."  
  
Supreme Kai nodded, "You're probably right. It is too bad"  
  
*** 


End file.
